SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF TRIBAL LAW AND ORDER ACT AS ENACTED - WITH NOTES FOR IMPLEMENTATION Note: Need for a Coordinating Framework and Timeline The Act will require a significant amount of interagency coordination and it will be important to establish a framework or process for follow through. Tribal leaders have experience with a number of federal laws that have never been fully implemented. We would like to plan for regular updates with the Administration, perhaps monthly at first, to make sure that all the necessary implementation steps are being taken. Note: Funding The shortfalls in law enforcement and justice system funding have hampered public safety in Indian communities. This is a critical year to push for increased funding. Note: Need for Educational Outreach to Tribal Justice Officials The new Act makes a number of important changes to federal laws that are used on a daily basis and will affect the rights of criminal defendants. Education of tribal law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, defense counsel and other officials will be important. In particular, under Section 304 tribal courts now have expanded sentencing authority under the Indian Civil Rights Act, with some limitations. Also, under Section 201 changes in P.L. 280 will allow tribal governments in the six mandatory states (Alaska, California, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon and Wisconsin) to request that the federal government exercise concurrent jurisdiction over criminal matters. There are many other important features of the law for both tribal and federal officials, including provisions to expand police training, improvements to the Special Law Enforcement Commissions, crime data and reporting, coordination with federal officials on prosecutions, detention facilities and expanded funding opportunities. The law also mandates a number of key studies and reports, particularly on tribal jurisdiction, federal declinations, and alternatives to juvenile incarceration Note: Need for Institutionalization of Reforms In a number of ways, the purpose of the Tribal Law and Order Act is to institutionalize reforms within the federal government so that Indian law enforcement remains the subject of consistent focus not only in the current Administration, but also in future Administrations. In our joint efforts to implement the Act, we believe the goal should be to set into place mechanisms that will not only address immediate problems, but will endure far into the future. TITLE I. FEDERAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND COORDINATION Section 101. Office of Justice Services Section 101(b) requires the Interior Department s Office of Justice Services (OJS) to collect, report and analyze crime data, develop and provide dispatch and 911 services, hold regular consultations with tribal leaders, and to provide technical assistance and training to tribal police. This provision also requires OJS to submit annual spending and unmet needs reports to Congress. OJS is required to coordinate with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to develop within
one year a long term plan to address concerns with the Indian country adult and juvenile jails systems. Significant outreach and consultation with OJS needed. Section 101(c) authorizes BIA police to make warrantless arrests where the officer has probable cause to believe that the suspect has committed or is committing certain crimes. Current law requires officers to have `reasonable grounds' to make a warrantless arrest. This provision also adds a list of offenses for which BIA police may make a warrantless arrest, including certain controlled substances, firearms, assaults, and liquor trafficking violations. Need for educational outreach to BIA and tribal justice officials. Section 102. Dispositions reports This section requires U.S. Attorneys and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to coordinate with tribal justice officials on the use of evidence when declining to prosecute or refer a reservation crime. It also requires U.S. Attorneys to maintain data on declinations, and to publish an annual report on declinations by federal district, type of crime, and status of the defendant and victim as Indian or not. It requires the Department of Justice to develop regulations to protect confidential information. These provisions are at the core of the legislation. Need for coordination with tribal officials on referral and declination processes. Section 103. Prosecution of crimes in Indian country Section 103(a) encourages U.S. Attorneys to appoint tribal prosecutors and other Indian law experts as special Assistant U.S. Attorneys to prosecute reservation crimes in federal court. Coordination with tribes on appointment process needed. Section 103(b) requires the appointment of Assistant United States Attorneys to serve as Tribal Liaisons in every district that includes Indian country. It also defines their responsibilities to include: coordinating the prosecution of reservation crimes, developing multi-disciplinary task forces, and communicating and providing technical assistance to tribal law enforcement officials. Coordination with tribes in each district needed. Section 104. Administration Section 104(a) directs the Attorney General to elevate and make permanent the Office of Tribal Justice (OTJ) within the Department of Justice within 90 days. It also defines the OTJ's role to develop and direct the Department's Indian affairs policies, and coordinate and consult with tribal leaders on matters affecting tribal interests. Section 104(b) would establish a Native American Issues Coordinator within the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys. The Coordinator would be responsible for working with tribal liaisons to enhance prosecution of reservation crimes, coordinating task forces to address Indian country crime, and gathering information for criminal declination data reports to Congress. This position is taking on a number of new responsibilities, including data collection and supporting U.S. Attorneys across the country as they implement the Act. TITLE II. STATE ACCOUNTABILITY AND COORDINATION Section 201. State criminal jurisdiction and resources Section 201 works a significant change in P.L. 280 (25 U.S.C. 1162) to allow tribal governments in the six mandatory states (Alaska, California, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon and Wisconsin) 2
to request that the federal government exercise concurrent jurisdiction over reservation crimes, with consent by the Attorney General. The purpose of this change is to address longstanding concerns that some states and local governments have not fully addressed reservation crime under P.L. 280. Intensive coordination will be needed with tribes and the U.S. Attorneys in these states in order to establish new relationships and the process for tribal requests and federal approvals. Section 202. Incentives for tribal-state cooperation Section 202 authorizes the Attorney General to provide technical assistance and funding to encourage tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to enter into cooperative law enforcement agreements to combat crime in Indian country and nearby communities. The provision was modeled after a successful law in Wisconsin that provides grants to counties and tribes that work cooperatively on law enforcement. NCAI and the National Criminal Justice Association are working on a related grant with the Office of Justice Services, but more development of this program and coordination with local U.S. Attorneys and FBI is needed. TITLE III. EMPOWERING TRIBAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS Section 301. Tribal police officers Section 301(a) requires the Department of the Interior-OJS to permit greater flexibility in training of police officers serving Indian country, including permitting candidates to train at state and tribal academies, tribal colleges and other training centers that meet relevant federal training standards. This provision also raise the maximum age for new officers to 46 and requires the BIA to expedite background checks for police and corrections officer candidates within 60 days. Immediate attention is needed to develop the supplemental instruction for Indian country law enforcement and provide the necessary certifications to officers who receive training at the alternative academies. Section 301(b) enhances existing law to grant Special Law Enforcement Commissions (SLEC) to officers serving Indian lands to enforce violations of federal law. It requires the BIA to provide regional trainings to certify officers at least biannually, and adds requirements to set timelines for SLEC-related agreements between the BIA and tribal governments. Procedures and minimum requirements for SLEC s and for entering MOA s shall be established within 180 days and MOA s must be agreed to within 60 days after applicable requirements are met. Coordination with U.S. Attorneys may be helpful in establishing regional training seminars Section 301(c) sets the framework for establishment of an Indian Law Enforcement Foundation that is tasked with advancing the role of BIA and tribal law enforcement officers and the provision of public safety and justice services in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Coordination with the Interior Solicitor may be needed to take the initial steps in establishing the Foundation. The Act requires the establishment of a committee to start up and provide for initial operation within 180 days. Section 302. Drug enforcement in Indian country Section 302 authorizes the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to provide grants and technical assistance to tribal police to address drug trafficking in Indian country. This provision would also require the DEA to place tribal officers on the advisory panel to develop and coordinate educational programs to fight drug trafficking. Need to meet with the DEA. 3
Section 303. Access to national crime databases Section 303 requires the Attorney General to ensure tribal police officer access and ability to input information into the National Crime Information Center and similar federal criminal databases. The provision establishes tribal officers as authorized law enforcement officials for purposes of access to such databases. Need to meet with Federal Bureau of Investigation and/or other divisions of Justice Department to ensure implementation. Section 304. Tribal court sentencing This section acknowledges the ability of tribal courts to sentence offenders for up to 3 years imprisonment for any one offense of a tribal criminal law. The provision also authorizes tribal courts to impose consecutive sentences for multiple crimes, but provides a cap at 9 years for any one trial. If a tribe exercises this option, the tribe must provide licensed counsel to any defendant subject to a total of more than one year in jail. Tribes must also require tribal court judges presiding over the case to be licensed and law trained, and the tribe must publish its criminal laws and rules of evidence and criminal procedure, and record (video or audio) the trial. Tribal courts exercising this option may sentence convicted offenders to serve time in: (1) a tribal facility that meets minimum federal standards; (2) the nearest appropriate federal facility pursuant to a pilot project administered by the Bureau of Prisons; (3) in a state facility pursuant to a tribal-state agreement; or (4) the tribe's alternative rehabilitation center or an alternative form of sentencing pursuant to tribal law. Need for immediate education outreach to tribal justice officials on new provisions of law. BIA must establish guidelines and process for approval for long term incarceration facilities within 180 days. Coordination with IHS needed. Bureau of Prisons must establish pilot project within 120 days. These implementation tasks are a high priority because of the need to avoid disruptions in tribal criminal justice systems. Note that the pilot project expires in four years and the Attorney General is required to submit a report on the pilot project within three years. The Attorney General is to submit a report on the overall effectiveness of enhanced sentencing within four years. Section 305. Indian Law and Order Commission Section 305 establishes an Indian Law and Order Commission made up of tribal, federal, and state & local justice officials, and other experts. The Commission is tasked with reviewing the current justice system as it relates to Indian lands and providing recommendations to enhance the prosecution and prevention of crime in Indian country. Specific items to be reviewed include: criminal jurisdiction; the tribal jails system; and the tribal juvenile justice system. Initial appointment of Commission members is to occur within 60 days and its report is due in two years. Appointments are made by the President in consultation with the Attorney General and Secretary of Interior; by the Majority and Minority Leader of the Senate, by the Speaker of the House and the Minority Leader of the House. It will be important to coordinate with these offices quickly to suggest candidates. Section 306. Exemption for tribal display materials. This section adds tribes to a list of entities exempt from a general federal prohibition to permit tribal governments to use display fireworks 4
for ceremonial and other purposes. A similar bill (H.R. 1333) passed the House by voice vote on Sept. 30, 2009. TITLE IV. RESOURCES FOR TRIBAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS Section 401. Indian alcohol and substance abuse This section reauthorizes and amends the Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse Act (IASA), which provides grants for summer youth programs, to develop tribal juvenile codes, and to construct shelters and detention and treatment centers for at risk youth and juvenile offenders. This provision directs the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) to take the lead role in interagency coordination on tribal substance abuse programs. SAMHSA will establish and appoint a Director of the Office of Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse that will develop a framework for setting interagency communication goals, and provide technical assistance to tribal governments to develop and enhance alcohol and substance abuse prevention programs. Within one year, the Office is directed to develop a framework and Memorandum of Agreement, in consultation with tribes, to establish the features of the program. Coordination with SAMHSA and the Bureau of Indian Education will be important. Development of a plan for youth justice and alternatives to incarceration is a key feature. Section 402. Tribal courts programs Section 402 reauthorizes the Indian Tribal Justice Support and Technical & Legal Assistance Acts, which provide funding for tribal court judicial personnel, public defenders, court facilities, development of records management systems, and other needs of tribal court systems. Suggestion coordination with National American Indian Tribal Courts Judges Association. Section 403. Tribal COPS program Section 403 reauthorizes and amends the Tribal Resources Grant Program within the Community Oriented Policing Services Office of DOJ. It would authorize long term funding for the hiring and retention of tribal law enforcement officers, remove matching requirements, and permit tribes to use funds to cover indirect costs. This is a key program for improving funding streams to tribal and BIA law enforcement. Coordination with DOJ COPS office needed. Attorney General required to submit a report on the effectiveness of the COPS program in Indian country within 180 days, with particular parameters. Section 404. DOJ tribal jails program This section reauthorizes and amends the DOJ tribal jails construction program. It authorizes and encourages the construction of regional detention centers for long-term incarceration, tribal justice centers that combine courts, police, and corrections services. In addition, this section restates the Section 101 requirement that DOJ, in coordination with the BIA, develop a long-term plan for the construction, maintenance, and operation of tribal adult and juvenile detention and alternative rehabilitation centers. Within one year, the DOJ and BIA are to develop a long term plan to address incarceration in Indian country, including alternatives to incarceration. Section 405. Assistant probation officers Section 405 would authorize and encourage the appointment of Indian country residents to serve as assistant probation officers to monitor federal prisoners living on or reentering Indian lands. This provision would also encourage the federal courts to offer services on or near Indian lands. Outreach to Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts necessary in each region. 5
Section 406. Tribal youth program Section 406 amends the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, 42 U.S.C. 5783, by establishing a Tribal Youth Program in Title V of that Act, authorizing competitive grants to tribes for activities aimed at preventing juvenile delinquency and treating and rehabilitating juvenile offenders. Coordination with Justice Programs needed. Chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs shall make an appointment to Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, in consultation with Vice Chair and Chair and Ranking Member on House Natural Resources. Section 407. Improving public safety in rural Alaska This section would make Alaska Village Public Safety Officer positions eligible for Community Oriented Policing Services funding. This provision is intended only to provide access to training and establish a training grant program, and neither directly nor by implication defines the jurisdiction of tribes in Alaska. This provision also repeals a 2003 appropriations rider that prohibited certain Alaska Tribes from receiving Department of Justice grants for tribal courts or police services. Coordination between DOJ and Alaska tribes and tribal organizations needed. TITLE V. INDIAN COUNTRY CRIME DATA COLLECTION AND INFORMATION SHARING Section 501. Uniform Indian country crime reporting Section 501(a) requires the National Gang Intelligence Center to collect, analyze, and disseminate information on gang activity in Indian country. Section 501(b) would make tribal governments eligible for federal grants that promote criminal data collection and criminal history reporting. It would also require the DOJ's Bureau of Justice Statistics to report Indian country criminal data to Congress within one year and thereafter on an annual basis. Outreach and coordination needed with these offices and with the Office of Justice Services the FBI to establish coordinated data collection systems Section 502. Tribal criminal history record improvement program Section 502 would authorize the DOJ Bureau of Justice Assistance to provide grants to Indian tribes to establish secure information sharing systems to enhance tribal police investigations and tribal court prosecutions. Current law authorizes direct grants to only state and local governments. Outreach and coordination needed with this office,. TITLE VI. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT ENFORCEMENT AND PREVENTION Note: Coordination with NCAI VAWA Task Force suggested on implementation. Section 601. Notification of tribal governments Section 601 would require the Director of the Bureau of Prisons and the Director of the Administrative office of the U.S. Courts to notify tribal justice officials when a person in federal custody will return or move to Indian country. Outreach and coordination needed with these offices. 6
Section 602. Domestic and sexual violence training Section 602 would require the BIA Office of Justice Services to develop trainings and provide BIA and tribal officers with specialized training in interviewing victims of domestic and sexual violence, and evidence collection and preservation techniques, with the goal of increasing the conviction rates of such offenses. Coordination between OJS and DOJ Office of Violence Against Women suggested for trainings. Section 603. Testimony by Federal employees Section 603 would require federal employees to testify pursuant to tribal or state court subpoenas on matters within the scope of their duties. Outreach to Indian Health Service and OJS needed. Section 604. Coordination of Federal agencies Section 604 would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide recommendations, if any, on the prevention of human trafficking in Indian country. The majority of this provision, as reported, was enacted in the Indian Health Care Improvement Act reauthorization. Section 605. Sexual assault protocol This section would require the Director of the IHS to establish and implement standardized sexual assault protocol at IHS and tribal health facilities. Outreach to IHS needed. Section 606. Study of IHS sexual assault and domestic violence response capabilities This section would direct the Government Accountability Office to study the capability of IHS to collect and secure evidence of domestic and sexual assaults in rural tribal and Alaska Native communities and submit a report within one year. Outreach to GAO and IHS needed. 7